Await Planes and Battleships
by Lolerskatez
Summary: When you have no one, who do you live for? RoxIri with implied AkuRoku and slight SoKai AU
1. Invincible

****

Disclaimer::

I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

**Warning:: **Cussing and one incredibly angsty blonde.

_**

* * *

**_

_**I; invincible**_

"_Daddy? Why does Mommy hate me?" A small blonde boy asked, looking up to his father-figure._

"_What?" He seemed surprised. "Roxas, why would you say that? Your mother doesn't hate you."_

"_She never hugs me. She never looks at me," Roxas said, surprisingly dry-eyed._

"_Son," the man said, kneeling so he could be eye-level with his child. He rested his hands on his shoulders. "Your mother and I love you very much. Your mother's just… She's sick. That's why she doesn't want to come near you. She doesn't want you to get sick, either." The 5-year-old contemplated this, and then smiled._

"_Okay!" He said. "Thanks, Daddy!"_

"_No problem, Roxas," the father hugged his boy, smiling. "And don't you ever think that your mother or I hate you."_

"Mr. Zetterstrom, I'm _very _disappointed in you," Dr. Lexicon, the school psychiatrist, said as he wrote down something in his notebook. I was sitting across from him in his office, a mahogany desk in between us. "You've injured Miss Noi, not only physically, but emotionally, too." He took off his glasses and looked at me. "Do you have to lash out at everyone in such a manner? It's most unbecoming to someone such as yourself."

"The fuck is that supposed to mean??" I snapped, not in the mood to talk, especially not with the psychiatrist who looked like he could barely deal with his own shit.

"I think it would be to your benefit if you let someone in," Dr. Lexicon continued. "Therefore, starting this year, every eight period, you are to come to my office for a period-long chat."

"Like hell I will!"

"You're angry." _No shit, Sherlock. _"But what fuels this fire? I'm not stupid, Mr. Zetterstrom," Dr. Lexicon looked directly at me. "I understand that something is happening in your life that makes you want to lash out. Your teachers have noted daily bruises on your arms, face, legs, anywhere. Now, answer me honestly when I ask you this; are you being abused by someone?"

There was a deafening silence before either of us moved.

"Dr. Lexicon," I said, glaring a hole into the floor. "I'm just a fuck-up. Don't try to understand me."

"I intend to, Mr. Zetterstrom, whether you agree to it or not," he said, standing up from his desk. "Your willingness to comply would make this whole process much easier, so for your own sake, think before you act." Dr. Lexicon walked over to the door and opened it, signaling me to leave. I got up and picked my book bag up off the floor, brooding as I left the the hell did he think he was, telling me what to do? Shoving my hands into the pockets of my worn out jeans, I made my way down the labyrinth of halls and finally to the steps outside of Barrington High. It was Friday, so nobody had stayed after school. They'd all left with plans of going to Lake George or getting a bite to eat at Friendly's.

Except for me, little Roxas Zetterstrom, the "bad boy" of Barrington High School. But I didn't need some lame-ass lake house or a shitty booth at some restaurant to make me feel _special_. To hell with _that_ shit. All I needed was a one way ticket out of this hellhole that was the life I was living.

I zipped up my jacket, trying to block out the wind from outside. For October, it was freakishly cold. The weather was bipolar in Latham, New York. One day it would be sunny and warm, and the next, it would be the fucking most miserable place you've ever been.

I walked over into the senior's parking lot and pulled out the keys to my black 1986 Chrysler Laser XT. Yeah, it was a piece of crap, but it was cheap and got me places. God knows what would've happened if I skateboarded around the place like I used to. Sticking the keys in the door, there was a small _click! _and I opened the door. I sat down at the driver's seat and stuck the keys in the ignition. The first couple of times, the car wouldn't start. This was just fucking _wonderful_. Not only was there the whole deal with that bitch and that shitty excuse for a "guidance counselor," but now I couldn't even leave the place. I ripped the keys out of the ignition, got out of the car, and slammed the door shut. I locked the Chrysler and started to walk off the school grounds. Latham was bigger than Albany, but in Latham, you could walk around without running into a pot dealer or getting shot at by some shitfaced old guy that practically radiated alcohol.

I grimaced at the thought. _Alcohol_. There were no good memories tied with that word, but I'd spent the last twelve years blocking out any details as to _why._

_SCREETCH!_

I looked up suddenly and saw two bright white lights.

* * *

"_Yeah, baby! Take it off!" A tall, redheaded boy slurred as his shorter, blonde companion took off his jacket. The blonde rolled his eyes and draped the jacket over his left arm, using his right to help the redhead from tripping over his own two feet._

"_You're so plastered, Axel," the blonde said disgusted as they approached a silver Toyota Corolla._

"_Plastered?" Axel said, nearly falling on top of the car. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about, Roxie! I think _you're _plastered!"_

"_Right…" Roxas said, not buying it. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He said as Axel reached for the door to the driver's seat._

"_I'm driving my car, betch," Axel said, his hand feeling around the door for the handle._

"_Dude, you're fucking smashed," Roxas reasoned. "There's no way in hell I'm letting you drive. I'm driving."_

_Just then, Axel burst out laughing. Roxas arched an eyebrow._

"_What's so funny?" The blonde asked._

"_You think I'mma let you drive my baby?" Axel said, resting his entire body on the car as he stroked it. "There's only one person who can drive my baby," he said, holding up four fingers. "And those three people are me."_

"_You're a retard, you know that?" The blonde said slightly amused as he guided Axel into the passenger seat. Once he was sure the redhead was strapped in, Roxas made his way to the driver's seat and started up the car. He backed up out of the parking lot of the bar and drove away. They'd been driving for about five minutes in complete silence before Axel spoke up._

"_Hey, Roxie?"_

"_What do you want, Axel?"_

"_Happy birthday, man." The redhead smiled at the blonde as green eyes met blue. Roxas's stern expression softened, and he uncharacteristically smiled back._

"_Thanks, Axel."_

_Intersection._

_SCREETCH!_

_Two bright lights._

"_He's gone…"_

My eyes flew open and instantly burned at just how _bright _the room was. I looked around, breathing heavily. A young woman in white rushed over to me.

"Mr. Zetterstrom! You need to calm down!"

I could barely hear what she was saying, my blood was rushing so fast.

"Where is he??" I yelled. "Where the fuck is he??"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Zetterstrom! Please, lay back down-" The woman tried to push me back down, but I slapped her hands away.

"Don't give me that shit!" I yelled, feeling the anger and anxiety building up inside of me. "Where's Axel??"

"Axel?" The woman said. "I don't know who you're talking about, but Mr. Zetterstrom, you really need to rest! You've been in critical condition for the past three hours! Please, just calm down-"

"Fuck you!" I seethed. "I know he's here! Don't give me the 'please calm down' shit! Now where is he??" I tried to get up, but there were wires connected to my arms that I didn't notice earlier. I ripped them out, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through my arms.

"Mr. Zetterstrom, please!" The woman pleaded as she tried to restrain me. "You were hit by a car a couple hours ago! Your wounds haven't healed yet, and if you move around too suddenly, they might open back up!"

"Let me go, you dumb broad!" I yelled at her, trying to fight free. A couple other people in white came in and forced me back down. I felt a slight pinch in my arm, and then the world went fuzzy.

"I just… I just wanted to see him again…" I murmured before everything went black.

* * *

Haha, first chapter's finally up! Thanks to the Colonel for beta reading for me! :]


	2. One X

**Disclaimer::** I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

**Warning::** Cussing and one incredibly angsty blonde.

* * *

**II; One-X**

_"Daddy?"_

_Eyes the color of the sky searched the interior of the small brick house from the doorway. The usually cozy atmosphere had been smothered out by a new one. The petite blonde's 5-year-old mind couldn't process the feeling, but he knew something was off._

_"Daddy?" He called out again, his voice drowned out by the suddenly large and empty home. "Daddy, I'm back from school!" He tried again, stepping tentatively in and closing the door behind him with his left hand, seeing as his right was holding a ceramic key. The blonde boy looked around, not used to the new kind of quiet that had settled around the house._

_"Daddy, look!" He said, hearing something in the dining room and running happily towards it. "I made a-!" The boy's words caught in his throat at the sight before him. The key slipped from his lifeless grip and fell, shattering into pieces against the marble floor. The boy's 5-year-old mind couldn't understand what he was seeing; wouldn't accept what he was seeing._

_"M… Mommy?"_

"A-are you okay??"

I jolted awake, only to find that I'd been strapped down to the bed. It took me a minute to realize just where exactly I was, and by then, my erratic breathing had slowed down to a normal pace. It was the same white room that smelled like bleach shit and had the fucking bright lights, but by now, I was used to them. One thing was different, though. In the once vacant chair next to my half-assed bed, a girl now sat.

"Y-you're awake!" She said, looking relieved. Ha, what a joke that was.

"Get out."

"Wh-what?"

"I said get the fuck out. What, you retarded or something? Can't fucking hear something the first time?"

"I… Uh… Well, no, I-" She stuttered, tucking some of her auburn hair behind her ear. She took a deep breath and then looked me dead in the eyes. "I'm afraid I can't leave," she said with confidence. That only pissed me off more.

"You think you're _scary_, bitch?" I said, staring her right back in the eyes. "Let me answer that for you; no, you're not. You don't know shit."

"I guess I deserved that, after what I did to you…" She mumbled, looking down at the floor again.

"And what the hell _did _you do to me, Princess, besides be a waste of my space?" The girl looked up at me, her blue eyes filled with tears. I'd finally broken her.

"Look, I'm sorry!" She said through sobs. "I'm sorry I hit you, I'm sorry for staying here so long, and I'm sorry for bothering you. I'll make it up to you," she said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'll pay for your medical bills."

"Serious?" I laughed bitterly. "This is fucking ridiculous…" She looked at me, confused. "I don't need your charity, _'kay, Princess_?"

"But I'm responsible for you being in the hospital!" She said, undoing the straps that kept me tied to the bed. Why, I don't know. Maybe she felt sorry for me. Maybe she thought she was helping. Whatever it was, I sat up, sore thanks to the fucking marvelous restraints. "I hit you with my car at the intersection with the Stewart's and the Firestone! Don't you remember?"

"Like hell I do!" I yelled at her. "I've been fucking drugged from the moment I got into this shitty excuse of a hospital. All 'cause _you _apparently can't fucking drive right! And now you're gonna '_make it up to me_'?" By now, my heart rate was through the roof, and the constant _beeping _was proof of it. The beeping, the crying, the yelling, it was too much. I ripped whatever wires they'd attached to me off and made a break for the door. I was still wearing my clothes instead of those half-assed hospital gowns like everyone else, but I was covered in bandages and had a cast on my left arm. Jesus Christ, how fast was she fucking _going_??

I pushed past a mob of people and ran out the door. The minute I step foot outside, I felt like I'd just been attacked by a tidal wave. The sudden shock of it made me stop in my tracks. Oh, this was just fucking _wonderful_. Latham had never had a flood in the time that I'd lived there, but when it rained, it fucking _poured_. I could hear the girl's voice calling after me. It was now or never. I could run away from that psycho bitch and into a fucking monsoon, or I could go back inside where it was warm, but have to deal with all of the shit she was gonna send my way.

I ran as fast as I possibly could.

* * *

133.

The number stared at me, boring a hole in between my eyes.

I fished for my keys in my pocket, praying to God that _he _wasn't home. Hoping that for once, I could go to sleep without having to deal with that bastard. Wishing that I could go to school tomorrow not looking like I just got mauled by a bear.

But praying, hoping, wishing, didn't do shit.

I _knew _he'd be home.

I _knew _I'd have to deal with him.

I _knew _I'd get hurt.

It was the same fucking cycle, every day of every year ever since- I stopped my train of thought right there. I'd spent to goddamn long trying to forget what happened, there was no way in hell I was gonna let all that back in.

I felt my fingers curl around a cold, metallic loop and pulled out my keys, finding the right one that would open the door ahead of me. Seconds turned to hours as the dread of what was waiting on the other side took over.

I was a badass kinda guy. Nothing scared me. Nothing even _fazed_ me.

Except for him.

I opened the door, suddenly wishing I hadn't. My assumption had been right. There he was, standing there in front of me, leaning against the wall for support.

"Where the fuck are your shoes, you little shit?"

And right then was the worst time to realize I'd run all the way from Albany Medical Center to here _shoeless_.

* * *

"Olette?"

"Present."

"Pence?"

"Here, sir."

"Roxas?"

"… Here." Everyone turned to look at me. I was at the door, wearing my usual t-shirt and jeans, except now I had both a cast and black eye. _Don't fucking stare at me_, I wanted to yell, but I kept my cool and sat down at my seat.

"Um, Roxas," my homeroom and science teacher, Mr. Shields, said.

"Yes, Mr. Shields?" I said with clenched teeth.

"… Nice of you to finally join us," he said, finishing role-call. Even though that was signal that we could all talk, the room was dead quiet. I could feel everyone's eyes on the back of my neck, and it was infuriating. I stood up, and everyone seemed to take a breath in.

"Do you need something, Roxas?" Mr. Shields asked. I completely ignored him and walked out the door. I could do whatever I wanted these days. Just have a couple bruises, maybe a cut here or there, and teachers would let you get away with just about anything. Fucktards.

I walked to my locker at the end of the hall and put my combo into the lock. Screw the school, I wasn't dealing with shit today. People staring and whispering, no thanks. Worst of all, feeling _sorry_ for me. I was just gonna get out. Let the school gossip about it like a couple of slutty broads in the girl's bathroom and then have it blow over when the next big thing comes. I opened my locker, and I have to admit, I was pretty fucking surprised.

There, in my locker, cleaned and shined, were my black high tops I'd left at the hospital last night along with a post-it note that read:

_555-6737_

_I'll make it up to you somehow. I promise._

_-Kairi_

And it was just then that I realized I'd been hit by the renowned Kairi von Theissen.

Goddamnit.

* * *

Hm, this chapter disappoints me. D: Oh, well! I published it anyway! Fufufufu… Thanks again to my lovely beta, the Colonel! My stories would be full of fail without you! :D [Well, there will always be some bits and pieces of fail cookie here and there, but I post anywayz! Bahahah!]


	3. Little House

**Disclaimer::** I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

**Warnings::** Cussing and one angsty blonde.

* * *

**III; Little House**

"_How could this have happened?" A tall, seething blonde man slammed his fist against the wall. Another man was with him; a brunette with piercing gray-blue eyes. The blonde turned to him, breathing heavily as if there was a great burden on his shoulders. "I thought you said you had it under control!"_

"_I don't know what went wrong!" The brunette man said, obviously upset. He sighed deeply as he ran a hand through his russet locks. "She seemed like she was getting better-"_

"Seemed?_" The blonde said, his fury quickly crossing the line into insanity. "You're a fucking professional, and you can't even tell if your patient is getting better or not??"_

"_Cloud, calm down," the other man said, standing up and walking over to him._

"_Calm down??" Cloud said, something different in his voice, something different in his electric blue eyes. "My wife just fucking killed herself, and you want me to _calm down_, Leon??"_

"_I know it's hard to accept right now, but she wasn't right in the head-"_

_That was it. Something had snapped._

"_Don't you _dare _talk about Tifa like that!" There was a large crash followed by a macabre scream. What the two men didn't know was that from the inside an armoire across the room, a small blonde had just witnessed the entire scene fold out._

_A small blonde had just witnessed his father covered in blood, a scarlet-stained body resting in a pool of red at his feet._

Kairi fucking von Theissen.

Of all the dumb broads in this town who had to hit me, it just had to be _that _one. Miss Queen of the Whole Goddamn Universe. See, in Barrington High, just like every other school in the world, was divided into social groups. There were the classic nerds, theater kids, Goths.

And then there were the chosen few who were "graced" with the social class of popular; the equivalent of royalty. Kairi von Theissen was one of those people. She was the classic prep; all the teachers loved her, she had all the right friends, and every little girl who'd ever bought a Barbie doll chucked them out the window the minute they saw Kairi. Basically, she was your triple-threat: brains, beauty, and status. Even I won't deny that.

But it doesn't end there.

Kairi was rich. Not Donald Trump millions, but hell, if you had a custom-made Boxster S Porsche, you were rich in my book. Plus, it was just common thought that if you were popular, you most likely had some money. Kairi just happened to fit that mold perfectly.

Which is why I fucking _hated _the fact that I'd been hit by her. Sure, she'd been offering to make it up to me, but that was probably just to make her look good, knowing her type. They never did anything out of "the kindness of their hearts". Not to me, at least.

"Uh, Roxas?"

I turned around, my thoughts momentarily interrupted, and groaned. Of course it was _her_. Who else could it have been? This was turning out to be one hell of a day and it wasn't even first period.

"Uh, hi!" Kairi said, playing with the end of her sleeve as she pointedly avoided looking me in the eyes.. "I, um… I'm in your homeroom and, well, I couldn't help but notice you're… uh…"

"What?" I said, _not _in the mood for this. "A nobody? _Heartless_? Spit it out!"

"No, not at all!" She said, waving her hands in front of her like her life depended on it. "It's just… You're eye-"

"You keep your little brown nose out of my business," I said, turning back to my locker.

"But you really should get that checked out! It looks really-!"

"What's your fucking _problem_?" I said, turning back around to face her. "Sorry if I don't like sharing my_ feelings _with you. Unlike you and your attention seeking whores, I don't like making up shit that doesn't even happen so that people will all look at me. Newsflash; I don't need your damn pity and I definitely don't need you."

She was quiet while I took my shoes out of my locker. She didn't say anything until I started heading out the side exit of the school.

"I… I'm just worried about you."

I stopped in my tracks. "No, you know what you are?" I looked over my shoulder. "You're a joke." I left the building.

… I made it about halfway to the parking lot until I heard that same, annoying voice that just didn't leave me alone.

"Roxas, wait!"

"_What the hell do you want from me?" _I said, zipping up the front of my jacket because once again, it was fucking cold in Latham, New York. Joy.

"I want to make it up to you!" Kairi said, standing up a little straighter. "And I won't leave you alone until I do." The confident look on her face lasted about 5 seconds.

"You wanna do something for me? Leave," I said, walking past my car.

Kairi's voice was now at least 4 feet away, but I could still hear her next question. "Wait… Aren't you leaving?"

I laughed, turning around to smirk at her. "Aren't _you_ a smart one!" I said sarcastically. "Yeah, I'm leaving, dipshit. What the hell does it look like I'm doing?"

"Well," she said, looking at the piece of shit I called my car. "Isn't that…?" Kairi pointed to the Chrysler.

Huh. Of course she was wondering why I didn't take my car. People like her never go anywhere with their sports cars and Daddy's plastic. They didn't understand the concept of walking or anything else lower class had to offer.

And for some reason, I understood her a little, instead of being completely disgusted with her… well, _fortune. _

"Thing's fucked up," I said, shrugging as a freezing breeze rustled our hair. "Didn't run last time I checked, figure it won't run this time." Why wasn't I leaving? Why was I still talking to this bimbo? Questions filled my head as Kairi seemed to have walked up right behind me, because I could hear every word of her next sentence crystal clear.

"I could buy you a new one, if you'd like."

I turned around. Yeah, I'll admit it, I was interested. Hell, even _I'm _not enough of a dipshit to realize a good deal when I see one.

"… Ford 2010 Sport Trac?" I asked, feeling the smirk growing on my face as I imagined .

"It's yours," she said with a smile.

"Well, if it takes me getting my arm fucked up in exchange for a new car and you getting the hell out of my life, then I think we have a- Oh, fuck!" I yelled, as some douchebag in a white Prius zoomed passed us and into the junior's parking lot. Before I knew what was going on, Kairi was clearly invading the two foot distance I kept from people and my good hand was wrapped protectively around her upper arm.

"Watch where you're going, dickwad!" I yelled while inside I was praying to God that she wouldn't make a huge deal out of this.

"Y-yeah…!" Kairi yelled, not too sure of herself. Pathetic if you ask me. I let go of her arm and she turned to face me, elbowing me in the stomach as she did so. Now, I'm not a roid-filled football player, but something like that shouldn't hurt, and even if it did, it shouldn't have hurt as much as it did right now. I felt like something inside me had just fucking exploded. It must've shown on my face, since Kairi went back into psycho-OCD-bitch mode.

"You okay?" Kairi asked, her hand flying to her mouth. "Where does it hurt? Did I do something wrong? Oh, God, I did, didn't I??" And here was the exact reaction I'd been trying not to get. God didn't give a guy a break, did He?

"I'm… I'm fine," I said, grabbing my sides. "I'm just a little sore, okay? Calm the fuck down."

"No, something's wrong!" Kairi said. "Is it your midsection? Here, let me check," she said, grabbing the jacket and unzipping it. I batted her hands away.

"What the hell!" I yelled, spastically backing away from her. Bad idea. What had started as a little pain exploded into this burning sensation all over. I doubled over, the sudden fiery feeling leaving me without oxygen.

"Roxas, just stay still," Kairi said, reaching for me again. I sidestepped her, but just barely. My knees were about to give out and I knew I couldn't get very far swaying like a drunk bastard. "I need to check what's wrong!"

"Don't _touch_ me, you slut!" I said, panting as I swatted her away. Yet another bad idea. There was a sharp pain in my chest, and it was only then that I realized, _Oh, shit! You can't breathe! La-di-da! _I fell down as my knees gave out. The impact sent another wave of pain shooting through my like a bullet and I winced again. I couldn't do anything as Kairi rolled me onto my back and started unzipping my jacket. My mouth couldn't form the words to tell her to get the hell off of me because the burning pain eating away at me made my entire body numb. Things were starting to blur together. Shit.

"Oh, my God!" Kairi screamed. "Roxas, what _happened_ to you?" She'd obviously seen what was causing me so much pain. No wonder she was screaming. Hell, _I _didn't even want to look at it. These were the thoughts floating around in my head as the trees, the sky, everything, became hazy and finally, faded to black.

* * *

**A/N::** Ahhh, this isn't beta'd! All the mistakes in here are mine. u_u Sorry for the wait, but I hope you enjoy it! Peace! v- 3-

* * *


	4. Kill the Messanger

**Disclaimer::** I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

**Warnings::** Cussing and one angsty blonde.

* * *

**IV; kill the messenger**

_The smell of alcohol polluted the air the small blonde was breathing. Cigarette smoke hung in the air just like the tension between the younger blonde sitting in the corner, reading the same sentence for the fifth time in his book, and the older blonde standing in the doorway. The latter stumbled into the apartment, bloodshot eyes locking onto the quiet boy._

"_Get up," he slurred. The boy's grip on the book tightened as he stood up and braced himself. The man crossed the room, swaying dangerously as he did so. He snatched the book out of the boy's hands and laughed bitterly._

"_You think reading's going to make you smarter, dumbfuck?" He spat. "Huh? Well? Answer me, you son of a bitch!"_

"_I-I just want to read my book…" The boy stuttered, willing himself not to cry. He'd just get beaten more for that._

"_Oh, so now it's about what _you _want?" The man said, swinging the book around like a club. "You don't get shit 'cause you aren't _worth_ shit!" He grabbed the boy by his hair. The smaller blonde fidgeted and tried to worm his way out of his captor's grasp. The man threw him against the wall._

"_You're going to be as fucking miserable as I am!" He said. "'Cause you're the goddamn reason my life is like this! I fucking _hate_ you!"_

_The little boy didn't get up from his slumped position against the wall. It wasn't because the sheer force of the throw had made his body numb. It wasn't because he couldn't breathe._

_It was because he realized that promises were as easily broken as they were made._

"Kairi, who is this?"

"He's my friend, Nami."

"Why's he all bandaged up? Did he get hurt?"

"… Y-yeah. He got hurt."

"Is he going to be okay? You can fix him, right?"

"I'm going to try my hardest, Nami."

It was conversation like this that I heard while I was… What was I doing? Was I dead? Was I unconscious? I opened my eyes slowly, surprised at how dark the room was. There were thick curtains on the windows not allowing any light in at all and there was maybe one dim light bulb in that entire room.

"Ah, Roxas!" Kairi said, getting up from the chair that was next to me. I was laying on a futon in the middle of a room I'd never seen before.

"Where am I?" I asked, surprised at how raspy my voice sounded.

"You're at my apartment," the girl said. "You passed out at school, so I brought you back here so I could take care of you."

"There's nothing wrong with me."

"That's where you're wrong, Roxas," Kairi said. I could tell she was happy about being able to say that. "You're underweight, for one, so it's easy to see that something's wrong with your eleventh rib. It's at a weird angle, and that's probably what caused you so much pain back there."

"It's always been like that," I muttered. "Nothing serious."

"But you passed out from it!"

"For all _you _know," I said. "Maybe it's something else. Does it have to be some deformation so that when you go back to your sluts, you can say, 'Oh, my God, guys! You know that Roxas kid? He's got _major _issues, but that's okay, 'cause I fixed him! Aren't I fucking awesome?? And if you were '_so worried_' about _my _goddamn problems when you can't even get a working _lamp _in here, then I think you have some priority issues! Why the hell didn't you take me to a hospital like last time? Why'd you bring me to this shitty place?" Kairi was about to say something, but a new voice cut her off.

"D-does it hurt?" I looked over to the doorway. A small, elementary school-aged girl was hiding behind the partially opened door, gazing up at us through her blonde bangs.

"Ah, Nami!" Kairi said, a little surprised. "Wh-what are you doing here? I thought I told you to go play in your room?"

"I was worried," she said, looking down at her feet. "I'm sorry." Kairi's expression softened into a smile.

"It's okay," she said, still smiling. She turned to me. "Roxas, I'd like you to meet my baby sister, Naminé."

"… Hi…" Real smooth, I know.

Naminé surprised me by smiling at me from behind the door. Not one of those fake smiles, but a real one. The kind that made you feel like someone was glad that you were here.

"Do you want some cake, Roxas?" She asked, still smiling at me. I couldn't help but smile back at her.  
"Sure, why not?"

"Do you want any, Kairi?"

Kairi smiled. "Yeah. Thanks, Nami." As soon as Naminé left the room, Kairi turned back to me with something between a smirk and a smile on her face.

"What's with the look?" I asked. This was just a _little _awkward.

"I didn't know you liked kids!" Kairi said, still smiling.

"I don't."

"You like Nami, though. Don't deny it!"

"Well, yeah," I said, scratching the back of my head. "She isn't one of those whiny-ass brats that are throwing bitch fits in supermarkets. She quiet, and I like that." Kairi seemed to take that as an answer, but she kept staring at me with that weird smirk-smile thing she'd pratically _invented_, for Christ's sake. The door opened and was followed by Namine carrying three small plates.

"Here you go," she said, walking over to the cot and handing me a plate. "We only have angel food cake, if you don't mind.

"_Angel food cake is magical, man."_

"_Only when _you _bake it, Axel. See, most people don't put weed into the cake and then eat it all by themselves in one sitting."_

"_Missing out, man. This is fucking _better_ than those hash brownie things. Whatever to _that _shit."_

"… Roxas? Roxas, can you hear me?" Kairi was waving her hands in front of my face. I swatted them away and looked down at my hands folded in front of me.

"Are you okay?" Naminé asked curiously as she glanced up at me. "You don't have to eat it if you don't want to."

"Thanks," I said, not able to look at either of them. What was _wrong _with me? Naminé just smiled at me and left, leaving Kairi her plate.

"You okay?" She asked once Naminé was out of the room.

"Yeah," I muttered. "Just tired."

"All right. I'll let you sleep." Kairi got up to leave, taking her slice of cake with her. Her hand rested on the doorknob, but she didn't open it to leave. Instead, she turned back around and said to me, "If you need anything, I'm always here, okay?" I didn't say anything and just pretended to be asleep when my mind was racing. The dim light bulb that had been the sole light source in the room was turned off as I heard the door close with a dull thud. I was engulfed in darkness.

* * *

"_You know, you're my first friend in a long time."_

"_What the hell? Talk about a change of subject…"_

"_I'm being serious here, so please try not to be such a douche and actually _listen._"_

"_Oy, have to be so mean to your so-called 'first-friend'?"_

"…"

"_Hey, you know I'm only joking, Rox. You wanna know a little secret? You're the first friend I've had… That I've wanted to just like throw down and rape senseless until they can't walk. … Wait, no, that's a lie. Sorry, man."_

"_Thanks, Axel. You've completely restored my lost self-confidence. What would I do without you?"_

"… _You're cute when you're being sarcastic, you know that? Makes me just wanna-"_

"_Keep it in your pants."_

"_Oh, _all right_, but just you wait; when you're sleeping-"_

"_You'll be castrated in the corner. Don't even think about it."_

"_Ooh, playing hard to get? How'd you know that was a turn on for me?"_

"… _Jesus Christ…"_

* * *

"_Fag. Faaaag."_

"_There goes that gay kid. What a fag."_

"_Hey, it's the fag! How's the cock-sucking going, _fag_?"_

"_Stay away from that kid, guys. He's gay for dick. Goddamn fags."_

* * *

"_What's wrong with you? Something happen today?"_

"_Nothing happened. Read your damn porn."_

"_Hey, look at me. _Look at me_. … That's better. Now tell me what's wrong."_

"…"

"_You know, even though I joke around a lot, you know I care a lot about you, right?"_

"… _Really?"_

"_More than you know. Now, on to more important things; who's ass am I kicking today?"_

* * *

**A/N: **Well, the beta for this story has officially died. xP Any mistakes in here, any rushing, hell, it's all my fault. Can't say I'm too happy with this chapter, but hey, I need _something_. Thanks to all the people who've read this far and even went so far as to review! :] I'll try to update more often and give you something more than this piece of fail. x___x;;


	5. Without a Heart

**Disclaimer::** I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

**Warnings::** Cussing and one angsty blonde.

* * *

**V; without a heart**

_Snow fluttered from the heavens like ethereal white butterflies. The sky was dreary and the land was colorless. While the laughter of children and the chirps of winter birds colored the blank canvas, however, there was one corner that remained monochrome. A single figure dressed in nothing but a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of worn jeans sat on the snow-covered bench, holding himself with frost-bitten hands. Messy golden tresses framed a cherubic face as shoulders heaving as teeth chattered. The freezing air bit the boy to the bone, but the sensation of pain across his body wasn't an unfamiliar one. The feeling of being utterly alone in the world wasn't new to him. Bleeding quietly on the inside was something he went through every day; why should today be any different?_

"… _Hey, kid, aren't you cold?"_

_Unbeknownst to the boy, his world of gray would be painted Technicolor all because of this simple phrase._

The first thing I remembered when I woke up was that I was overwhelmed with some kind of feeling. Regret, maybe? No, it was deeper than that. Guilt? Anger?

Reminiscence. That's what it was. I sat up, remembering that day, the cold, and meeting that guy. I smiled to myself, thinking about all the shit we'd done just for the hell of it. As I looked down at my hands, my vision blurred, hot streams trickled down my cheeks.

"Why are you crying?"

My head snapped up in the direction the voice had come from. Naminé was standing beside the cot, her head tilted to the right in a curious motion.

"What?"

"Why are you crying?" Namine asked again, still patient.

"I'm not crying." I turned away from her. If she could see _that _well in the dark, she probably could've seen through my lies. Namine was quiet for a minute, but then climbed up on the cot and sat in front of me.

"What is it?" I asked, still not looking at her.

"Do you want some cake?" She asked. There was something about her voice and the question that I just had to smile. I turned towards her and she smiled back at me.

"I'll take that as a yes." She got off the cot and walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

* * *

"Hey, Naminé?" I asked, twirling the fork in between my fingers.

"Yeah?" Her ears perked up at the sound of her name and she smiled at me.

"Why do you keep the rooms so dark?"

I knew I'd said something wrong by the awkward tension that had enveloped the room suddenly like a heavy blanket. Naminé's ocean-blue eyes looked down at her fidgeting fingers, and then she looked up, still avoiding my gaze.

"I'm handicapped," she said simply, still playing with her hands. "That's why we keep the sun out."

"But haven't you ever just wanted to just… I dunno, run around like all the other little kids out there?" I asked. Even with the shitty childhood I had, I knew that kids and the outdoors were like gasoline and fire; a natural combination.

"I can't." The way she said it, there wasn't a hint of sadness in her voice, but there wasn't happiness, either. More like acceptance of her "handicap." While I didn't want to press her too much about it, I wanted to know what was wrong with Naminé and how I could help. Sure, I'd known the kid for less than a day, but there was just something about her that made me feel like I should watch out for her. Like an older brother.

"Have you ever heard of photosensitivity?" Naminé said suddenly, catching me off guard. I opened my mouth to respond, but closed it when I saw that she was going to continue. "It's a neurologic disorder where my brain and body can't process the sudden change of light to dark, so any light-related stimuli causes me to convulse, to say the least." I blinked and Naminé continued to smile softly at me. She was probably five or six years younger than me, but she was stronger than I had ever been. Dealing with a disease like that… And still having the courage to smile…

That's what truly made Naminé special.

* * *

**A/N: **Ahhhhh~ I like this chapter! It's a little shorter, but I think it flows better than the others, don't you think? Sorry for the long wait, I've been totally blank these last couple months. xP Thanks to AxelsWaterBaby for being the greatest beta ever and I'll see you in the next installment of whatever the hell this shit is! 8D


	6. More Than Useless

**Disclaimer::** I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

**Warnings::** Cussing and one angsty blonde.

* * *

**VI; more than useless**

"_Yo, what's with the face?"_

"_What face? My face is always like this."_

"_That's unhealthy, man. Didn't they ever teach you that if you make a weird face like that, it'll freeze, and you'll be stuck with it forever?"_

"… _You're pathetic, man."_

_But somehow, as simple as those words were, coming from him, they were all he needed to hear to know that maybe, things would be okay._

"Wake up, Roxas, we have to go to school!"

I grumbled, and then sat straight up, wide awake. Dad was never home, and even if he was, there was no way in hell his voice had jumped that many octaves, even if he _was _a drinker. I looked around the unfamiliar house, when everything from yesterday hit me full force. Kairi was yelling from the doorway and Naminé was no where to be seen.

"Come on! We have ten minutes!" Kairi ran over to me and tugged on my arm. "If we hurry, we can probably beat the morning traffic!"

"Woah, hold up, princess," I said, shaking her off of me. "There is no _we_. It's just you and then me. You go on ahead if being late is really gonna make you wet your panties; I got my own agenda." She looked at me, as if the thought of _ever_ being late was some kind of unspoken taboo.

"But…" She started. I cut her off by getting out of bed in one fluid motion and walking out the door.

The day passed like every other day; I was late to homeroom, the teacher yelled at me, I fell asleep in Global, went to Trig, but it was in third period English that I was kicked out. Apparently the teacher had "had enough of this abuse, really truly" and thought it would be better if I just left. I picked up my backpack and left the room, never looking back as I walked through the labyrinthine halls of Barrington High.

It was when I came to the intersection of the language and music wing when I heard other voices—a guy and a girl—around the corner.

They were fighting, but trying to keep their voices down. I stopped right before the corner and listened in; one of the voices had sounded familiar.

"_What was he doing there?_" The guy hissed. If I hadn't known any better, I would've thought he was a demon, the way the venom just seemed to drip from his words.

"He… He needed help! What was I supposed to do, Sora?? Just _leave_ him there??"

_Sora_.

I didn't need anything more to know which infamous couple was fighting. Before I could do anything, a smack reverberated throughout the halls as a pained, feminine scream followed shortly.

"_You listen to _me_, you got that? I made you what you are; I own you. All it takes is a snap and you'll be _nothing_, just like those god forsaken parents of yours—"_

"Stop it!" She'd given up on being quiet now as she let out that desperate and borderline hysterical scream. That was all I needed. Before I knew it, Sora's hair was in my clenched fist as I slammed his head into the adjacent wall repeatedly, Kairi's cries to stop falling unheard. It was only when one of the teachers in the music wing had stepped outside of his classroom to see what all the ruckus was about that I was restrained and Sora had a chance to stumble free. Kairi was crying now, shaking as her sobs echoed through the halls. To say that this isn't what I'd wanted would be an understatement.

"Do you realize the extent of your actions, Mr. Zetterstrom?" Dr. Lexicon and I were seated in his office once more, the familiar scene of a mahogany desk and off-white walls surrounding me.

"You don't understand," I said, not looking at him. "That… That _bastard_…"

A sigh escaped Dr. Lexicon's lips. "Mr. Zetterstrom, while I recognize that you may harbor some negative feelings towards Mr. Campanelli, but we here at Barrington High do not condone violence."

"You don't understand," I said again. It was the only thing I could say; my mind was racing, and my senses were too slow to keep up with it.

"I'm afraid the principal has asked to me suspend you until further notice."

"You don't understand!" I was yelling now, my legs having propelled me out of my seat. As I stood in front of the school psych, I could hear myself seething. "That bastard was _hitting _her! What the hell did you want me to do; just _let _him?? Or is it okay for him to get away with something like that because he's he principal's kid??"

"Mr. Zetterstrom, calm down," Dr. Lexicon said coolly. He tried to get me to sit down, but I brushed his arms away.

"That's just like you, too," I said, laughing bitterly. "Give the rich kids a slap on the wrist and give everyone else corporal punishment. I'm outta here." I grabbed my jacket and left the psych's room, slamming the door to try and channel out my anger.

What I didn't expect was Kairi to be sitting outside the room, her bag and her jacket in hand.

"What do you want, Red?" I asked, not meeting her gaze. Through my peripheral vision, I saw her flinch at my harsh tone. Still shaking, her voice verbalized the state of instability she was in.

"I… I'm coming with you."

* * *

**A/N: **New perspective; Sora's a villain. Who'da thunk it? Sorry I haven't updated this in a while. Just haven't been feeling it, y'know? :S Hopefully, I'll be able to spit more of these chappies out before this sudden wave of literary progress disappears.

Oh, and this isn't beta'd, so any mistakes are all mine. :S


	7. All Again For You

**Disclaimer!**Me. No Own. Kingdom. Hearts. Yeah.

**Warnings::** Cussing and one angsty blonde.

* * *

**VII; all again for you**

"I think you have some explaining to do, Red." We were at Friendly's, sitting across from each other in a booth. Kairi had insisted that we get something to eat and that she'd tell me everything over lunch. I'd gotten into her car, and now it was her turn to keep up her end of the bargain.

"Well, what do you want to know?" She asked, listlessly playing with the paper that had surrounded her straw. She didn't look at me; her eyes were focused on that little piece of paper.

"How about why you're here, for starters."

Kairi laughed, but her eyes told a different story. "Isn't that what we're all trying to figure out, Roxas?"

"You know what I mean," I said, giving her a look. "Why aren't you with Sora. He's your boyfriend, after all. Shouldn't you be taking him home to make sure he's alright and then have your little sister fatten him with cake?"

"I broke up with him," she said quickly. If we hadn't been sitting so close to each other, I would've missed it, her voice was so weak.

"I can explain," she started again. "I…" Kairi's eyes bored into mine, the glassy look in them telling me she was on the verge of tears. "What you heard… That was just a sample of what went on in that relationship. You see… My parents left when I was 8."

"They _left?_" I wasn't expecting that. "Then how do you—?"

"Sora's family supported Naminé and me," Kairi cut in, practically reading my thoughts. "He held it over my head and used it to get whatever he wanted from me. By breaking up with him, I've pretty much gotten rid of the only steady income that Nami and I have…" Kairi inhaled sharply and she started shaking again. "I-I just c-couldn't do it anymore…"

"Hey…" I said, not sure what to do in this situation. "Don't cause a scene… We already look suspicious enough, not being in school and all…"

"I-I'm sorry…" She stuttered, taking a few sips of her water to calm herself down. So this was the true nature of Kairi von Theissen; while she came off as a typical popular rich girl, she was really a fragile girl who was scared of the future. And somehow, it made me respect her more.

"Stop saying you're sorry." I put my hand on hers. They were cold and trembling against my rough palm. "You didn't do anything wrong. If anything, it's that douche bag's fault."

"D-don't…" Kairi stuttered, looking down at the paper again. "He's a good guy… He gave Nami and me a place to stay when we didn't have anything left."

I took a deep breath in. I knew what I had to do, but if I didn't choose wisely, someone was going to get hurt.

I wouldn't let them.

"You don't need him," I said firmly. "You're staying with me."

* * *

Kairi and I had to blindfold Nami with five bandanas before she was assured that her little sister would be fine. The two sisters left the apartment, each with a single suitcase, and we got into Kairi's car and drove for my apartment. The car ride there was silent, each of us with something on our minds taking up all our attention. What would I do when _he _came home? I couldn't leave Naminé alone with him. I wouldn't. He could hurt me, but if he so much as laid a hand on Nami and Kairi—

I stopped my train of thought. Just the mere _thought _of him brought back a wave of rage.

"Roxas?" Kairi asked. "Are you okay? You look…"

"I'm fine," I said, turning back to the window to signal the end of the discussion.

If only she knew how much I worried about her.

"Kairi?" Naminé asked from the back seat. "Why are we leaving the other apartment? Is there something wrong with it?" I heard Kairi's breath hitch as the question left the younger blonde's lips. I closed my eyes, expecting Kairi to start breaking down again. Instead, she just looked ahead.

"Y-yeah… Something was wrong with it. But luckily Roxas is letting us stay with him for a bit. Do you have anything to say to him, Nami?"

"Thank you, Roxas!" Naminé chirruped. "Ah, Kairi, can I ask you another question?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Will there be cake there?"

I smiled. The innocence of children truly did alleviate any tense situation.

Too bad it couldn't get rid of a drunken bastard.

… Or, maybe it could.

"Hm? Roxas, what's this?" Kairi asked, handing me a envelope that had been taped to the door of my apartment when we had arrived. I took it and glanced at it, puzzled. If we'd gotten mail while I'd been gone, it would've still been in the mailbox. God knows he would've been too drunk to actually remember where the door was, much less remember there was _mail_. Nonetheless, I ripped open the letter. Something metallic fell out of the torn envelope. Upon further inspection, it was a key. The mailbox key.

"Stay here, I'll be right back," I said. Handing her the apartment key so she and Naminé could get in and get settled, I tore off weaving through the apartment complexes until the silver mailboxes were in sight.

_133_.

I inserted the key and opened the metal door. Instead of finding a mountain of mail, I found a single envelope with my name scrawled on it. I tore that one open as well and couldn't believe my eyes.

_Roxas,_

_I know this is sudden, but I can't live with myself this way. I want to get help. I want to be a better father to you. That's why I've entered a rehabilitation facility. The bank account is in your name, and I know you'll use the money wisely. You're a man now, Roxas. A better man than I ever was. I doubt you will, but should you try, don't look for me. Its better that I stay isolated until I get better._

_I love you,_

_Dad_

I stared at the letter. I didn't know what to do, what to feel; was I supposed to hate this so-called _father_ who'd ruined my life or hope that maybe he'd changed and this was the start? But he had left me the bank account… That meant he didn't have access to it anymore; I did.

_Use the money wisely…_

It was just then that I knew what that money was going towards.

* * *

"Ah, Roxas! You're back! I was starting to get worried about you!" Kairi said with a soft smile from her seat on the worn couch. She took a look at my face and her expression melted into one of curiosity. "Roxas, what's wro—?"

"I know it isn't much, but here," I said, trying to hide my burning face as I handed her a small, velvet box. She looked at it quizzically.

"What is it?" Kairi asked.

"Open it."

Kairi let out an audible gasp, her eyes wide as saucers at the sight of the diamond necklace.

"It's just to say thanks," I said, trying to play it off as something nonchalant. "You were there… When most people had given up on me… When I had given up on me…"

"Oh, Roxas, its… its beautiful," Kairi breathed, running her finger down the length of the necklace. She then set the necklace down and stood up, walked over to me, and did something completely off-beat. Kairi threw her hands around my neck and, standing on her toes, filled the space between our faces. Now it was my turn for my eyes to widen. Kairi's baby blues had closed, her lips still on mine in a long, chaste kiss. My hands, that had been by my sides, found their way to her lower back as I pulled her into a hug. We pulled apart, and she looked just as shocked as I felt. Looking into my eyes, she smiled, a small laugh escaping her lips. I found myself smiling and laughing, too. Then a third voice entered the conversation.

"Yay! Roxas and Kairi love each other! Let's have cake!"

* * *

**A/N: **Woo! I'm a roll, baby!

Personal philosophy: When in doubt, eat cake.

Thanks to Axel'sWaterBaby for beta-ing this! See ya next time! :3


End file.
